3 bell restorations

[George Dawson]

I'm surprised with this. In the Southwell Diocese we have the philosophy of
restorations are put on base beams that are fitted for the most bells that
can be got on one level.

The result can be progressive augmentations, eg :

Wellow 3, then 4, now 6

Thurgarton 3, then 4,  now 6

 

And coming up, Maplebeck, going back next week as a properly rehung 3 & MAY
be 4 by Easter. 

 

But even we have failures, the Churchwarden at Hayton was totally against
anything other than a hung dead cheap restoration.

 

George Dawson

 

From: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com [mailto:bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of Colin Turner
Sent: 20 January 2008 10:47
To: nabbers at yahoogroups.com
Cc: bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Bell Historians] 3 bell restoration

 

I recently had the pleasure of ringing on the restored three bells at
Stirchley, Shropshire. The work here was carried out by Matthew Higby et al,
and rather unusually resulted in the bells being reinstated for full circle
ringing. The last time I heard of this being done was at Downhead, Somerset,
where the work was carried out by, er Matthew Higby.

 

This is a most refreshing change, as nowadays most "restorations" of lesser
numbers involve hanging the bells dead or fitting them with levers. I
appreciate the additional cost involved in a complete rehang, but often
wonder that after an initial burst of enthusiasm following conversion to
chiming, how many towers with three lever chimed bells actually use all
three bells each week? I've not heard of many active chiming bands, so my
guess is that in most places a single bell is used briefly before the
service. So what has been achieved? In a lot of cases nothing, a single bell
that was chimed anyway, is still heard once a week. 

 

Does anybody have any thoughts - or hopefully evidence to counter my
musings?

 

 

Colin 

 

  

 

           
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.ringingworld.co.uk/pipermail/bell-historians/attachments/20080120/50e23db0/attachment.html>